Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan, pictured here during here State of the County Address, has sued the freeholder board to prevent a change to the county's administrative code.
(S.P. Sullivan/NJ.com)

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, is rooted in the ongoing squabble over the fate of the Bergen County Police Department. The freeholders have pushed for the county police to fall under the auspices of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino, a prospect Donovan finds unacceptable.

Donovan says the Democrat-controlled Freeholder board does not have the legal authority to change the code under the County Executive form of government. In her veto message, she said the Freeholders were attempting to create a "one-tier system of government" by reorganizing the functions of the county.

Not surprisingly, the Freeholder board, which passed an ordinance and later overrode Donovan's veto in a 6-1 vote, disputes those claims.

"These changes to the administrative code passed with bipartisan support, and her continued use of lawsuits to settle personal scores shows her complete disregard for our tax dollars,” Freeholder Chair David Ganz wrote in a statement obtained by The Record. He previously told NJ.com that the ordinance isn't designed to strip the county executive of any power. Donovan has sued the freeholders three times since early 2012.

A judge is expected to rule Friday whether the ordinance should be blocked, according to the Record report.